Cable braking and bracing device



' April 27,1926. v 1,582,198

N. WALBRIDGE cums BRAKING AND BRAOiNG DEVICE Filed March 28. 1924 fi L: a I

. Q Invent-bl? v't'arney Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

NEWMAN wALBnineE, or BUFFALO, NEwYoax.

CABLE BRAKING AND BRACING DEVICE.

Application filed March 28, 1524. Serial No. 702,683.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, NEWMAN lVALBnrnoE,

a citizen ofthe United States of'America,

and a resident of the cityof Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Cable- Braking and Bracing Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates generally to a cable braking and bracing device, and more particularly to a device for use in connection with ore bridges, or other unloading or conveying apparatus, which are mounted and" travel upon supporting tracks.

It is well known to those skilled in the art, that ore handling bridges are many times moved by high winds along the tracks and upset with great damage to the bridge. Furthermore such structures cannot be successfully operated in high winds. v I

The principal object of my invention has been to provide a device whereby the bridge may be securely held at the point where the wind pressure is greatest, and thus preclude its being moved or overturned by wind pressure.

Another object has been to provide a device of this nature which will not in any wise interfere with the operation of the bridge.

Furthermore, it is an object to provide a device which shall be automatic in its operation whereby it shall be operated to hold the bridge when the power operating the bridge is shut off.

The above ob ects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which: I

Fig. 1 is a side, sectional view of the device applied to an ore loading bridge shown in a conventional manner.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one form of my device. V

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a modified form of device.

In the drawings,5 represents in a conventional manner a vertical, end, sectional view of an ore loading bridge. The bridge is mounted for movement upon the usual tracks 7, and is, of course, provided with the usual tracks 8 for the conveying device of the,

bridge. 7 I

At each end'of travel of the bridge is mounted a strut or support 9 which is prefcrably of a height slightly greaterthan the support one end of a cable 10. The ends-0f height of the bridge 5. Each of these struts the cable 10 extend downwardly and are I anchored at points 11 so as to keep the cable reasonably taut. I I y The device, shown at 12 in Fig. 1, is carried on top 'of thebridge and mounted preferably at the center thereof. The device com prises (see Fig. 2), preferably a cable drum 13, about which the cable 10 is wound a number of times so that it will have frictional engagement therewith. The drum is preferably mounted upon a shaft 14, which is rotatably suported in suitable bearings15.

Arranged at one end of the drum is a braking mechanism comprising a brake drum 20, having brake band vmembers 21 and 22. These members are suitably carried by a frame or housing'23 and are drawn into frictional engagement with the brake drum 20 by means of an. arm 24. The arm 24: is suitably connected with a link 35,-.con11ecting the brake drum members21 and 22. The arm 24 may be actuated in any desired manner, but I have shown for convenience, and prefer to operate the same by asolenoid 25.

In Fig. 3, I show a modified form'of in-.

vention in which the cable drum is omitted,

and in whichthe cable 10 is gripped between the base 26 ofthis device and a clamp 27, pivotally carried thereby. the clamp 27 are each provided with grooves 28 for thereception of the cable 10. An operating arm 29 is provided,'which is pivotally carried at it inner end by the base 26 where it is provided with a cam 30. By

the operation of the arm, the cam 30 will press the clamping member 27 into engagement with the base 26 and thus grip the cabl 10. This form of the device'is also preferably operated by means of a solenoid 31, which is connected withthe outer end of the operating arm 29.

From the forego1ng,-it W obvious that with either of the devices herein shown and described, the bridge 5 may be freely moved. lVhen the form ofthe device shown in Fig. 2, is employed, the cable 10 will be freely wrapped about and unwound from the cable drum '13 while the bridge is being moved. When the bridge 1s brought to rest the solenoid will preferably be operated automatically so as to gripthe brake drum 20 and hold the cable drum in its position thereby preventing the bridge from being The base 26 and greatest leverage. When the form of device,

shown in Fig. 3 is employed the solenoid will be so operated that the clamping device 27 will grip the cable and thus securely hold the bridge in place.

Furthermore, instead of the solenoid, any equivalent means may be employed for actuating the operating arms 24 and 29 of the devices. These and other modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the appended claim, and I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merely a. preferred form thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: V

The combination with a movable unloading or conveying apparatus mounted upon tracks, of a cable braking and bracing device comprising a cable arranged some distance above the tracks of the apparatus and having one of its ends suitably secured at each end of the travel of such apparatus, a drum carried by the apparatus and engageable with the cable, and braking means controlling the revolution of the drum, whereby the drum may be locked in any desired position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

NEWMAN WALBRIDGE. 

